The field of the present invention is plumbing.
Typically, in multilevel residential structures such as apartment buildings and condominium complexes, the plumbing fixtures, e.g. sinks, toilets, showers and bathtubs, are stacked such that a given fixture on the top level will share common waste and water supply lines with the same type of fixture on all the lower levels. Occassionally, a stoppage will occur in the waste line below the waste line connection between an upper and lower unit. Such a stoppage may occur due to too large an item being sent down a drain, a collection of various waste materials, or some other event which may clog a waste line. When such a stoppage occurs, the resident of the lower unit may not be aware of the stoppage until the fixture overflows from water and raw sewage backing up the waste line. The resident in the upper unit may not be aware of the stoppage unless he or she becomes aware of the overflow in the lower unit. In any event, since the stoppage has occurred in the waste line below the connection between the upper and lower units, as the resident of the upper unit continues to use the upper stacked fixture, the lower stacked fixture will continue to overflow with water and raw sewage until the stoppage is removed. And, if the resident of the lower unit is at work, asleep or on vacation when the stoppage occurs, substantial water damage to floors, carpeting, cabinets, and other items near the fixture may occur due to continued use of the upper fixture.
When such a stoppage occurs between in a unit between the lower and top unit, such as a third level unit, the health and safety risks are exacerbated by water and raw sewage leaking through the ceiling into the lower units and may damage the ceiling and other parts of the lower units. An overflow in any unit constitutes a serious health and safety hazard due to the overflow of raw sewage into a residence.